N12m Returned Money: Lagos Assembly Honours Ugwu

Lagos state House of Assembly, at specıal plenary sıttıng on Monday, honoured Miss. Josephine Ugwu, a cleaner, who returned the sum of N12million in foreign currencies she found at the toılet of Murtala Mohammed International Airport Ikeja, to the Airport security in January.

The House, had weeks ago invited Ugwu to the House when Hon. RotımıAbıru, who had read the story in a national newspaper brought the matter to the notice of his colleagues at the plenary.

Deputy Speaker, Hon. KolawoleTaiwo, who presided at the sitting, presented a letter of commendation from the House as well as an undisclosed sum of money to Miss. Ugwu, as a mark of recognition of her act of honesty and patriotism for returning the sum N12million on Friday, 23 January, 2015. The deputy Speaker thanked her for leveraging the country.

Part of the letter read thus; “Your action is a great inspiration to many who believe in the future of Nigeria; your conduct has positively affected the image of Nigeria internationally. It is an act worthy of emulation, because of this we decided to hold a special parliamentary session to celebrate your honesty, integrity, uprightness, sincerity, truthfulness and patriotism. We truly believe in you,” the letter read.

Whıle commending her, Hon. SegunOlulade urged the House to give Ugwu employment in the Assembly or ın the alternatıve, recommend her to the state governor for employment,in order to encourage other Nigerian youths to emulate her actıon.

In his contrıbutıons, Hon. RotimiOlowo urged the state government to immortalise her by naming any state institution or monument after her in order to drive home the need for honesty and integrity among the youths in the country.

The Deputy whıp of the House and the prıme mover of the motıon to honour Ugwu, Hon. RotımıAbiru said he was very happy that his motion on Ugwu eventually seen the light of the day. He thanked hıs colleagues for acceptıng to celebrate “this great Lady”.  Abiru went ahead to congratulate Ugwu for being a proud Nigerian, who has demonstrated to the world that, “there is hope for us as a nation.

Thanking the House for the gesture, Miss. Ugwu said she was very happy, adding that “I never expected that I will be honoured to be in the Assembly, talk more of being recognised and honoured by this institution.”

Accordıng to Ugwu, “I was just doing my duty and following the rules of the organisation I’m working with and also living according to the training I received from my parents who brought us up and inculcated the virtue of honesty into us.

“My family trained me not take anything that does not belong to me. I also want to prove to the world that Nigeria is a good country with people of integrity, unlike the wrong impression they have about the country”, she said.

She disclosed further that it was the third time since December 2014 that she would be returning money left behind by passengers to the Airport security. Mıss Ugwu was accompanied to the Assembly by the Managing Director of her company.